OK, let the Disco Dissection begin!

[BumbleBeeDave]

So does one day in yellow for Big George and a stage win for Popo constitute a "good" Tour for Disco, considering they were Lords Of The Peloton for the past 7 years?

Seems like for most of the race they may as well have stayed back at the hotel and noone would have missed them . . .

BBD

[Avispa]

....considering they were Lords Of The Peloton for the past 7 years?

I dunno Dave, but I have always have a problem with this statement. IMO, Disco was only good during the Tour/Dauphine, other than that, always had some kind of problem. I remember when they won the team TT last year or before that some one said: "Undoubtedly the best team in the world..." Well, many of those guys that raced in this years Tour were still on that team and look what happened!

Too bad for US cycling perhaps, but I think the Disco sponsorship is over.... I don't think Floyd is going to race for an American team either.

[Fixed]

they need some new blood

[mike p]

I dunno Dave, but I have always have a problem with this statement. IMO, Disco was only good during the Tour/Dauphine, other than that, always had some kind of problem. I remember when they won the team TT last year or before that some one said: "Undoubtedly the best team in the world..." Well, many of those guys that raced in this years Tour were still on that team and look what happened!

Too bad for US cycling perhaps, But I think the Disco sponsorship is over.... I don't think floyd is going to race for an American team either.


Disco's tour and season has to be considered a bust. Right or wrong the TDF is "the race" of the year. If they had a bunch of wins going into the tour then ok good season. If they had no wins but won the tour then ok good season. They had neither. Say what you want about lance but he whipped the team into shape for 1 month a year and for that 1 month they were the best team.

Mike

[Vanilla Gorilla]

George should either start racing for Flanders again, or focus on small stage races which he can actually win.
Salvodelli should just race in Italy
Popyvich should race for Unibet
The rest are just fodder anyway
Brunyeel should be an actor with lance on the Discovery channel

[Dave B]

Say what you want about lance but he whipped the team into shape for 1 month a year and for that 1 month they were the best team.

Mike


If I remember correctly they have also won the Giro and Vuelta?

While they dominated past tours, they have won a stage in every grand tour this year.

While not the success they had in previous years, there are not more then a handful of teams that can claim that.

[catulle]

I think it was a little sad to see Hincapie trying to win the stage at the very end and falling way short. On the other hand, other than the Disco boys, everyone seemed to be having a good time and enjoying the camaraderie.

I'd guess we will soon get an idea of what the future of the Discovery team will be like as they start making changes or not. I wonder how willing are Armstrong and the Discovery people to invest good money in the team.

[obtuse]

they need some new blood


then they should call dr. fuentes. i hear he's looking for some new patients.

obtuse

[Elefantino]

I think Hincapie's day in yellow sets him up as a GC favorite next year.

Sincerely,
Bobke

[GoJavs]

Hyped as a serious contender, it was sad to see him end up thirty-something. I hope it doesn't mess up his psyche. Here's hoping he wins one of the late Summer classics and never looks bad at his one Tour as a GC 'contender'. :beer:

[Ginger]

Pretty mean spirited thread. Can't we enjoy the current tour first?

Disco? None of them are Lance. And isn't that a nice feeling?

As it stands, I think they did pretty well overall. And George was in Yellow for a day. Yay George!

[coylifut]

Hyped as a serious contender, it was sad to see him end up thirty-something. I hope it doesn't mess up his psyche. Here's hoping he wins one of the late Summer classics and never looks bad at his one Tour as a GC 'contender'. :beer:

some times failure is a man's best friend. maybe he'll re focus on races that suit him best.

[Johny]

They didn't train right. Call Chris Carmichael ASAP.

[Jason E]

I think it was a little sad to see Hincapie trying to win the stage at the very end and falling way short. On the other hand, other than the Disco boys, everyone seemed to be having a good time and enjoying the camaraderie.

I'd guess we will soon get an idea of what the future of the Discovery team will be like as they start making changes or not. I wonder how willing are Armstrong and the Discovery people to invest good money in the team.

He was leading out (too earl and poorly) Popovych, not sprinting for the win.

[GoJavs]

Mean-spirited? Not I.

I sincerely hope George wins San Sebastian or something else. He was having a very nice front part of the year (podium in Flanders, a couple of wins in California). Then, the crash at P/R, then the whole GC experiment...

George spent a decade becoming the best American classics rider ever. I hope we see that again next month.



Pretty mean spirited thread. Can't we enjoy the current tour first?

Disco? None of them are Lance. And isn't that a nice feeling?

As it stands, I think they did pretty well overall. And George was in Yellow for a day. Yay George!

[stevep]

they need some new blood

good quote fixed.
probably true.

[Frustration]

I wish it were not the case and Disco had shown that while they don't have Lance, there's more to disco and Johan (and Chris Charmicael) than being cycling's version of "entourage".

This tour was a waste of time for George. I can't believe he's spent another year doing little more than riding in support of Lance, when Lance isn't around...

[Ginger]

Interesting little article (beyond the "we want to sign Floyd" talk) that speaks to several issues brought up in *this* thread.

http://sports.espn.go.com/oly/tdf20...tory?id=2527718

[swoop]

disco had a decent enough spring. there is more to the season than the tdf. rather than rebuild another tdf team i'd rather more folks got hip tot he rest of the year.

the tdf is an amazing race.. but it's not nearly the whole sport. it's just a 3 week piece of a very tasty pie.

[mtflycaster]

Ya can't go into the tour with no declared leader and let things just "shake out" !!!

ATMO

[mgm777]

Perhaps, with the unveiling of the Spanish scandal, the Discos all decided to ride clean during the tour?

I am not a Disco hater/lover or LA hater/lover...I'm just sayin....

[Fat Robert]

This tour was a waste of time for George

no

george needed to see what he could do in the tour -- same with popo

now, both know their limits, and can go whole-hog at the races that suit them best. maybe we'll see more agression and leadership from george at the flemish classics -- in the past, the tour has been an important secondary objective for him. now, its time to pull a pvp and say "screw every race that isn't in the first two weeks of april." popo can turn himself into the pascal richard of his generation...(mistresses and substances optional).

[pdxmech13]

Ya can't go into the tour with no declared leader and let things just "shake out" !!!

ATMO

Kloden, Pereiro, Satsre, Dessel.....something "shaked out" these guys into the top 10.